IPL Safe Prescribing at the Mercy University Hospital

25 Jan 2024

This year marks the 15^th year of the successful running of the IPL Safe Prescribing session for Medicine and Pharmacy students in the Mercy University Hospital.

To date approximately 750 pharmacy and 2,000 medicine students have taken part in this session. The students work collaboratively to undertake a medication reconciliation, simulation of prescription writing, and demonstrate evidence of learning in their group report. This experiential learning in the clinical environment has received positive feedback from students and prepares them for future safe prescribing and medication optimisation, thereby improving patient safety. 

An example of Student feedback: 

"One key point that I learnt during this IPL session was the importance of being able work in conjunction with other healthcare professionals. Not alone those in the medical profession, but all healthcare professionals, to ensure a high standard of patient-centred care. Early exposure to working within a multidisciplinary team is vitally important as a healthcare student as it allows us to develop the necessary skills to work together effectively in a busy healthcare environment." (Pharmacy student)

"Patient safety can be improved on interdisciplinary co-operation between doctors and pharmacists. There is much that can be learned from one another and it may be beneficial in my future practice to incorporate practices such as interdisciplinary ward rounds or increased interdisciplinary teaching at MDT meetings." (Medicine student).